Knitting machine needle and method of making same



R. c. AMIDON 2,436,371

KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Feb. 24, 1948.

Filed June 14, 1945 INVE NTOH ATTOFI NEY.

mm- 2 llll'llllll w-ullm- Patented Feb. 24, 1948 KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Roy Charles Amidon, Reading, Pa., assignor to Vanity Fair Mills, Inc., Reading, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 14,1945, Serial No. 599,493

\ 11 Claims.

My invention relates to needles of the kind disclosed in my Patent No. 2,403,961, issued July 16, 1946, and it particularly has for its object to provide a novel method of manufacturing the needle and certain improvements in the structure of the needle which permits manufacture by the method hereinafter disclosed.

A further object is to so improve the structure of the needle that all danger of the needle and needle tongue catching on the thread guides as the needles pass between the guides, or the guides pass between the needles as the case may be.

In my application aforesaid the needle is grooved along the edge of the shank which is on the side of the-hook'and the tongue is made of a single thickness of metal. 'While this arrangement is generally satisfactory in needles of the coarser gages it is not entirely so with'very fine gage needles as, for example, in needles of 32 to the inch.

In order to positively provide against the needles and thread guides engaging edgewise I have now made the needle of a single thickness of metal and provided the tongue with sides or wings to go around the edge of the needle which is toward the hook and overlap the sides of the needle shank below the place where the thread would engage the edge of the needle in passing between the thread guides after racking.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends the invention also includes those novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts all of which will be first described in detail and then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the needle blank.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the hook bent in toward the shank in the second step of manufacture.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the completed needle, the thread passage being shown normally open in full lines and closed in dotted lines.

7 Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail top plan view of the needle shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a detail elevational view of the upper 'end of a tongue blank before folding.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the movement of the needle and tongue through be,- tween adjacent thread guides.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the path taken by the hook end of the needle with relation to stationary threadguides.

In the drawing in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, 1 represents the shank of the needle which needle. in the present invention, is stamped from a sheet or strip of steel with the beard 2 of the hook portion, diverging from the point end or top 4 of the hook portion toward the inturned point 3' of the beard, and provided with a heel or inward projection 5 adjacent the top which projection is spaced from the shank a distance of about the thicknessof the tongue portion Ill as shown in Fig. 1. After the blank has'been stamped out the heard 2 is bent toward the shank! until the heel 5 contacts the shank as shown in Fig. 2. This leaves an opening 6 into which the curled end ll of the tongue is later placed.

The tongue is also stamped from a piece of sheet steel in the form shown in Fig. 7. The width of the tongue blank is sharply reduced by tapering the sides of the blank as at 9 leaving the end portion ll] of the same width as the thickness of the needle, see Figs. 3 and 4. The tongue blank is stamped with a hole l2 to receive the point 3 of the beard 2 when the needle and tongue are assembled and the thread passage l8 into the hook end of the needle is closed by the tongue. The end ll of the blank portion I0 is curled over to fit the opening 6 and the sides 1 are bent over at right angles along the lines 8, 8

in Fig. '7 to fit over the sides of the needle shank I, see Figs. 3 and 5.

After the needle blank has been stamped and the hook pressed together (Fig. 2), the needle is properly tempered. The tongue is also tempered, after which the two parts are ready to be assembled. In order to assemble the parts the beard 2 is sprung open far enough to permit the tongue loop to be inserted sidewise in the opening 6 and the part l0 to lie between the heel 5 and the shank l. The tapered sides 9 will permit this sidewise method of assembly after which the sides are released to embrace the needle shank as shown in full lines in Fig. 3. It should of course be understood that the sides 1 engage the sides of the needle shank with a sliding fit.

The needle shank is set in a lead base l3 in the usual manner and the tongue is similarly set in a lead base 14 as shown in Fig. 3.

By reference to Figs. 8 and 9 the movements 4. In a knitting machine needle having a shank and a hook end and a thread passage into the hook end, and having a thread-passagecloslng tongue anchored at one end within the hook, the

improvement which includes: a needle comprising a flat metal body including a shank and a hooken-d, the beard of-thehookhaving its point spaced from the shank to constitute a thread passage and a tongue having a longitudinally grooved .shank and an ungrooved portion anchored to the needle .at the hook end andlying within the hook the path I9 shown in Fig. 9, first straight up to 7 about the position shown in Fig. 3 and then to the right in the direction of the arrow .a'until it passes the eyes of the thread guides and then upwardly backwardly over the loop of the "P to the left of the thread guide-eyes and back down again to pick up the threads and pass down through the sinkers and the previously .iiormed.

1001) L of the knitting.

/ By-constructing the needle with the tongue as the outside member and leaving the sides of the tongue ed for a distance from the anchorage of the tongueindicated at an in Fig. '3), all danger of tangling. with the thread guides isavoided.

It will be noted by reference to the dotted line position in. Fig. 3 that whenthethread passage -in-tothe hookis closed, the freeedges of the sides "I willvnotproiect beyond the front (right hand) edge of the shank of the needle, and will thereioreinot'. present edges which might tend to cut theploop as the :hook is passed; through a loop or sas itiisbeingca st'ofi' the needle.

.Fromthe foregoing description taken in connection'with the accompanying drawing "it is :thoughtthe construction, operation and advantagesof my new needle and themethod of its manufacture will be clear to those skilled in the What'I claim is:

l. In a-knitting-ma'chineneedle-havinga shank and a hook end and a thread passage into the hook end, and having a thread-passage-cosing "tongue anchored atone end within the hook, the

improvementwh ch includes: aneedle having a shank, 811C113; hook; a tongue having a lon itudinally grooved shank to receivetheshank of the needle-With the closed edge of the tongue located aORbht-Z hook-side of theineedle.

- 2. -In-a knitting machine-needle having a shank "and a hook end and a thread passage into the .hookend, and having a thread-passage-clcsing tongue-anchored at one end within the hook, the

improvement which includes: a needle comprising -a.flat;metalbodyincluding a shank and a hook endithe heard of the hook having its point spaced from the shank to constitute a thread passage and artongue having a longitudinally grooved shank rand -an-nngrooved portion anchored to theneedle at'the hook end andlying within the hook openhas, the needle shank lying in said groove.

-3..;.In a knitting machine needle having a shank .arrdca hooknend' and a. thread passage into the hook end, and having a thread-passage-closing tongueranchored-at one end within the hook, the improvement which includes: a needle comprising a;flat:metalbody.includinga shankand a hook iend,:the beardiofthechook'having its point spaced from-the shank to constitute a thread passage and: a. tongue having a longitudinally grooved shankiand-an ungrooved portion anchored to the needle. at the hook end and lying within the hook opening, the needle shank lying in said groove, said ungrooved portion being of a widthcorre- :SpQndingr to the thickness of "the-:nee die. shank.

opening, the needle shank lying in said groove, said ungrooved portion being of a width corresponding tothe thickness of the needle shank and 15' 7' extending from the anchorage along the needle shank' t'o a predetermined distance from the entrance of the thread passage into the hook.

5. 'In a knitting machine needle having a shank and a hook end and a thread passage into the hook end, and having a thread-passage-closing tongue anchored at oneendwithinthe hook, the

improvement which includes: a needle-comprising a fiat metal body including a shank and a hook end, the beard of thehook having its point spaced from the shank to constitute a thread passage and a tongue having a longitudinally grooved shank and an ungrooved portion anchored to the'needle at the hook end and lyingwithinthe hook opening, the needle shank lying in said groove, the side edges of the tongue being bevelled from a point approximately transversely opposite the point: of the beard to-said ungrooved portion.

6. In a knitting machine'needle having a shank and a hook end and a thread passage into the hook end, and having a. thread-passage-clcsng tongue anchored'at oneend withinthe hook, the

improvement which includes: aneedle comprising a'flat-metal body including a shank and a hook end, the beard of the hookhaving its point spaced from the shank to constitute a thread passage and a tongue having a longitudinally grooved shank and an ungrooved portion anchored to the needleat the hook end and lying within the hook opening, the needle shank lying in said groove, said ungrooved portion being of a width corresponding to the thickness of the needle shank, the sideedges of the tongue being bevelled from a point approximately transversely opposite the point of the beard to. saidungrooved portion.

7'. In aknittingmachine needle having a shank and a hook end and a thread passage into the hook end, and having a .thread-passage-closing tongue anch'oredat one end'within the hook, the improvement which includes: a needle of a single thickness of .metal formed with a shank and a hook portion, the hook portion including a beard having a heel remote from the point of the beard and extending toward the shank portion of the needle and leaving a tongue-receiving eye, a tongue having a flat portion of substantially a width corresponding to the thickness of the needle shank and lying within the hook part of the needle, the free end of said flat portion being formed to fill said eye'and'in part lie between said heel and the shank of the needle.

8. A knitting machine needle having a shank and a hook end and a thread passage into the hook end, and having a thread-passage-closing tongue anchored at one end within the hook, the improvement which includes: a needle of a single thickness of metal formed with a shank and a hook portion, the hook portion including a beard having a heel remote from the point of the beard and extending toward the shank portion of the needle and-leaving a tongue-receiving eye, a

tongue having a flat portion of substantially a width corresponding to the thickness of the a needle shank and lying within the hook part of the needle, the free end of said flat portion being formed to fill said eye and in part lie between said heel and the shank of the needle, said tongue having side walls overlapping the sides of the needle from the end of said fiat tongue portion which is remote from said eye toward the base end of the needle.

9. In a knitting machine needle having a shank and a hook end and a thread passage into the hook end, and having a thread-passage-closing tongue anchored at one end within the hook, the improvement which includes: a needle of a single thickness of metal formed with a shank and a hook portion, the hook portion including a beard having a heel remote from the point of the beard and extending toward the shank portion of the needle and leaving a tongue-receiving eye, a tongue having a flat portion of substantially a width corresponding to the thickness of the needle shank and lying within the hook part of the needle, the free end of said fiat portion being formed to fill said eye and in part lie between said heel and the shank of the needle, said tongue having side walls overlapping the sides of the needle from the end of said flat tongue portion which is remote from said eye toward the base end of the needle, the side walls at their upper ends being bevelled substantially as shown and described.

10. The method of manufacturing knitting machine needles which includes: stamping a needle proper from a sheet or strip of steel to provide a shank and a hook end with a hookbeard and a heel on the edge of the beard opposite the shank of the needle and spaced from the point end of the needle to leave an eye, the end of the heel being spaced from the shank; bending the hook-beard toward the shank until the heel end touches the shank; stamping a tongue from a sheet of metal with a flat straight midportion and with side portions commencing at a predetermined distance from one end of said mid-portion to leave a straight flat extension of a width substantially equal to the thickness of the needle shank; curling the free end of said extension to fit into and occupy said eye and bending said tongue side portions over at right angles to form a needle-shank-receiving groove; tempering the needle and tongue; springing the hook-beard and heel from the needle shank a distance sufiicient for the assembling of the needle and tongue; inserting the tongue curl into said eye and the tongue extension between said heel and needle shank with the groove of the tongue in position to receive the needle shank; releasing said hook-beard to permit the. same to spring back and clamp the tongue between said heel and shank of the needle.

11. The method of manufacturing knitting machine needles which includes: stamping a needle proper from a sheet or strip of steel to provide a shank and a hook end with a hookbeard and a heel on the edge of the beard opposite the shank of the needle and spaced from the point end of the needle to leave an eye, the end of the heel being spaced from the shank; bending the hook-beard toward the shank until the heel end touches the shank; stamping a tongue from a sheet of metal with a fiat straight mid-portion and with side portions commencing at a predetermined distance from one end of said mid-portion to leave a straight flat extension of a width substantially equal to the thickness of the needle shank; enlarging the free end of said extension to fit into and occupy said eye and bending said tongue side portions over at right angles to form a needle-shank-receiving groove; tempering the needle and tongue; springing the hook-beard and heel from the needle shank a distance sufficient for the assembling of the needle and tongue; inserting the tongue enlargement into said eye and the tongue extension between said heel and needle shank with the groove of the tongue in position to receive the needle shank; releasing said hook-beard to permit the same to spring back and clamp the tongue between said heel and shank of the needle.

ROY CHARLES AMIDON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 206,354 Peberdy July 23, 1878 2,015,609 Swinglehurst Sept. 24, 1935 

